Lemon Law Analysis

2025 Ford Expedition

NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data

✓ Reviewed by Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. · Updated June 2026
17
NHTSA Complaints
5
Active Recalls
2-4
Avg. Repair Attempts

The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.

As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 17 complaints against the 2025 Ford Expedition. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2025 Ford Expedition complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.

The 2025 Ford Expedition has generated 34 NHTSA complaints and has 5 active recalls. If your 2025 Ford Expedition has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Ford pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.

Seats

Moderate Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Very Strong

The 2025 Ford Expedition has generated 8 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Long hair(wife and daughter) gets stuck and pulled out by the platinum badging in the seat back.” (NHTSA Complaint #11692994)

Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance

Moderate Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Strong

Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2025 Ford Expedition has generated 6 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I began to brake because there was a parked car at the stop sign i was approaching. My vehicle was not stopping even though the brake pedal was pressed all the way down to the floor. 2025 Ford Expedition crashed into a parked car is a malfunctioning Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) module. Crucially, this malfunction can occur while Advanced Driver Assistance Svstems ADAS), such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), are active, preventing the vehicle from braking as expected to avoid a collision.” (NHTSA Complaint #11723540)

Body & Structure

Emerging PatternSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

The 2025 Ford Expedition has generated 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “In June 2025, I bought a new 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch. While washing my SUV by hand, I discovered a manufacturing defect on the roof—Ford Manufacturing had left exposed welding and rivets. The issue is quite noticeable, with depressions around the rivets and welds so deep they could hold golf balls. More than two dozen of these rivet welds are visible and exposed. I contacted my local dealership in Sioux Falls, SD to file a warranty claim, but it was denied. During this process, the dealership informed me that their lot was filled with Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators showing the same problem, indicating that it’s a widespread concern among all dealers. After my claim was denied, I reached out to Ford’s nationwide customer support at [XXX] and was given case number CXh-XXX. After two conversations, it became clear that Ford’s organization was not effectively communicating internally. My dealership thanked me for bringing the issue to Ford Corporate, as resolving it is financially important to them. Sioux Falls Ford contacted the local Ford Factory Representative, but no solution has been provided so far. The presence of these divots allows water to accumulate in the crevices, potentially leading to severe corrosion in southern regions exposed to salty ocean air. In northern areas, freezing and thawing cycles may cause further structural Integrity deterioration, both overtimes causing catastrophic failure. At no time did Ford disclose these defects to their dealership network, and had it been, proper disclaimers would have been required on vehicle window stickers. Nor was I informed about the exposed rivets, welds, or dents on the roof prior to purchase. Ford Manufacturing failed to disclose material information regarding this issue. Ignorance is not an excuse—Ford Manufacturing misled me by failing to reveal the roof defect. The manufacturer date of my Ford Expedition was May of 2025. See attached pictures. HELP!! Kind regards [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)” (NHTSA Complaint #11715033)

Visibility/Wiper,Lane Departure

Emerging PatternSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2025 Ford Expedition has 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “When using the turn signal, the blind-spot camera view is blocked by an on-screen steering wheel control popup, which cannot be minimized and only disappears after an extended amount of time. This popup automatically appears after a door has been opened as well as if/when the control button on the steering wheel is engaged intentionally and/or unintentionally. This obstructs my view of the blind-spot camera at a critical time when I am attempting a lane change, creating a potential safety risk. I have checked vehicle settings and consulted the dealer, but there is no current remedy or setting to disable the popup; this was communicated from the dealer to be “standard” and “not defective”. I am unaware of any acknowledgement from Ford that this issue is a known defect in this model’s infotainment interface.” (NHTSA Complaint #11724874)

Electrical System,Unknown Or Other

Emerging PatternSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2025 Ford Expedition include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The vehicle is experiencing "unintended left turn signal activation". When a right hand turn signal is activated, and the steering wheel is corrected …”

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2025 Ford Expedition

The following 5 recalls have been issued for the 2025 Ford Expedition by the NHTSA or Ford. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

Recall 25V198000

Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 25S30.

Recall 25V439000

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger side air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 25S51.

Recall 25V488000

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: The EBB module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 25S77.

Recall 25V823000

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic brake booster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 26, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 25SD4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became search

Recall 26V104000

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicl

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2025 Ford Expedition:

  • 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
  • 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
  • 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Ford to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2025 Ford Expedition qualifies as a lemon under California law, Ford may be legally required to:

  • Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
  • Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
  • Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Ford pays all legal fees if you prevail
  • Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Ford willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2025 Ford Expedition Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Ford a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Ford dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Ford pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Ford a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2025 Ford Expedition Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2025 Ford Expedition as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Ford pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2025 Ford Expedition?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.

Think Your 2025 Expedition Qualifies?

Get a free case evaluation. Ford pays our fees if you win — you pay nothing upfront.

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